Patty Loveless Lyrics
"A Handful of Dust"

(Tony Arata)

Break us down by our elements
And you might think He failed
We're not copper for one penny
Or even iron for one nail.

And a dollar would be plenty
To buy twenty of us
Until true love is added
To these handfuls of dust.

Handful of dust, handful of dust
Sums up the richest and poorest of us
True love makes priceless the worthless
Whenever it's added to a handful of dust.

--- Instrumental ---

However small though our worth may be
When shared between two hearts
Is even more than it would ever be
Measured on its own, apart.

And our half what it could be
Is now twice what it was
When true love is added
To these handfuls of dust.

Handful of dust, handful of dust
Sums up the richest and poorest of us
True love makes priceless the worthless
Whenever it's added to a handful of dust.

Handful of dust, handful of dust
Sums up the richest and poorest of us
True love makes priceless the worthless
Whenever it's added to a handful of dust...